Canned oil pump



Feb. 18, 1958 w. A. POTTER 2,823,832

CANNED oIL PUMP Filed Deo. 2a, 195s 3g l i lxwmlor' Wauw 00PM? 'Wi rms.; ,119 MW Q 77446 dlforngg nited Stfates Patent My invention relates to the art of oil cans, and specically it is a pump that lcan be associated with a can of oil that is sealed initially to make a pump type oil can. The structure comprises -a frame that is adapted to detachably embrace a can of oil, and a pump secured `to the frame. The oil supply tube of the pump isequipped with a cutting head that punctures the can as the frame is placed about the can and the tube then extends into the can to connect ythe pump with the oil in the can. When the pump is actuated, the oil is drawn from ,the can and d ilm rected as chosen by the operator. The objects of my invention are to provide a canned oil pump that:

(1) Is quickly and easily assembled to an initially sealed can of oil to make a pump type oil can.

(2) Automatically provides its own vent as the can of oil and frame are assembled into an oil can.

(3) Requires no special tools to assemble the can yand the frame into an oil can.

(4) Avoids the oil spillage that frequently attends tilling ordinary oil cans.

(5) Is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain. While these are the major objects of my invention, others may become clear from the following specication, drawings, and claims.

The drawings accompanying the specification are briefly described as follows:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the pump and frame assembled but without a can of oil in the frame.

Fig. 2 is a reduced, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of my canned oil pump and a can of oil showing the cutting head puncturing the can and Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of my canned oil pump and frame assembled around a can of oil.

Referring to the drawings wherein a given number always refers to the same part, I have used the number to designate the barrel of an ordinary single action pump. The pump is actuated by pushing the rod 12 into Ithe barrel. A button 14 on the end of the rod provides la surface on which the operator can push with comfort. A spring (not shown) return-s the rod 12 at the end of each pumping stroke. The pump is secured to the frame ytop 16 Aby means of the ears 18 which are upward extensions of the guide arms 20 of the frame. These guide arms are curved to fit the contour of the ordinary initially sealed, cylindrical can of oil 22. A handle 24 is secured to one of the guide arm frame sides. Secured to the pump and extending down through the `top 10 of the frame and substantially parallel to the guide arms 20 is the oil supply tube 26. At its lower extremity is the cutting head 28 which also incorporates the ball check valve 30. The lower ends of the guide arms extend a-t least at far below the top of the frame 16 as does the lowest portion of the cutter head. This comparison between the length of the supply tube and cutter 'head and the guide arms is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When the upper portion of the frame is placed over a can preparatory to puncturing lthe can top with the cutter head, the guide arms embrace l bottom 32 of the frame.

the edges of the can before the cutting head contacts the can top. Because the cutter is spaced from the lower ends of the guide arms about the distance that the tube is from the upper ends of the guide arms, it is guided to the proper point on the top of the can to puncture so that the tube will align with the hole punched and have proper access to the inside of the can. In other words, the tube is spaced the same distance from Ithe edge of the can when the frame is completely` assembled around a` can as the cutter head is puncturing the can top. Having the guide arms curved laterally as described and shown also aids in .making sure that the frame is positioned directly over the can with one of the guide arms on each side of the can. The lower ends ofthe guide arms are provided with means for attaching them to the I have used the bayonet lugs 34 on the guide armsand the bayonet slots 36 in the bottom for this purpose. frame around a can, therefore, by simply inserting the lugs inthe slots and turning the top of the frame slightly v -with respect to the frame bottom. Between the can top and the oil supply tube and the inside top of the frame is an oil seal designated 38,. This oil seal. was intended to be made ofsolid resilient material that would resist deterioration `when in contact withV oil. vBy some human error the irst seals that were sent to me by my supplier were made of sponge material instead of solid resilient material. I tried the vsponge seals as a matter of curiosity and found that they were very satisfactory. The lirst seals were tried without making any vent for air to enter Athe can as the oil was removed. I believed that I would have to make a vent, but it proved unnecessary. Although the sponge -seals kept the oil from leaking, they 'apparently let air enter the can. The only opening in the otherwise sealed can was the opening around the oil supply Itube. I have concluded from this series of facts relative to the seal and the lack of any need for a separate air vent hole that the sponge holes were fine enough to prevent oil with its relatively high viscosity from getting through the seal at least during relatively short periods of time, but air could leak through the sponge material when the air pressure in the can became less than atmospheric. The pressure in the can would of course tend to be of a lower than atmospheric pressure, as the oil was pumped from the can. I can provide an air vent automatically, therefore, by using this sponge material seal which I call an air pervous oil seal. My cutting head also is not entirely obvious. It is made larger than the oil supply tube purposely to cut a hole 'at least slightly larger than the oil supply tube. By making the entrance hole slightly larger than the tube, I allow for minor variations between the position of the hole punched in the can top and the location of the tube when the frame is completely assembled around a can. Also of course this larger hole insures the correct operation of the air pervious oil seal. Any type of spout that is considered desirable may be used, and I have shown a conventional one designated by the number 40.

While I have described my invention as being primarily vone of a pump for canned oil, certain of the elements of my invention could also be of value used with ordinary -oil cans. For that reason, in at least some of the claims lI refer to the can as a reservoir rather than specifically 'as an initially sealed can of oil. It is obvious that an empty can could be relled if necessary and resecured to the frame to be used as a reservoir for the pump. Such a reuse of the old can might be necessary if the only oil available when the oil in the can in the frame became exhausted were bulk oil.

I consider particularly important in my invention the air pervious oil seal; the combination of the frame with an initially sealed can of oil; the use of the guide arms Patented Feb. 18, 1958*' ,Itis a simple matter to connect the 3 to position the frame over the can correctly; and various -combinations of these elements and other structural details indicated above. It is clear that the canned oil pump shown and explained in the drawings and foregoing specification will accomplish the objects of my in-V vention as set out above. Since the normal use of my invention would not entail attempting to fill a reservoir by pouring oil, much of the opportunity for spilling oil that attends the filling of the usual oil can is eliminated. Obviously no special tools are necessary to assemble the frame around a can. It is also clear to mechanics skilled in the art that it would be inexpensive to construct my frame as compared to fabricating the usual oil can reservoir. In many cases the oil put into oil cans of the usual `type is purchased incans. I take advantage of this fact and use the container in which the oil is purchased as the container or reservoir for my oil can. Using the )container in which the oil is sold as the tank of the oil can has another advantage also. Many of the conventional pump type oil cans that are discarded are junked because they have developed leaks. By using the can in which the oil is sold as the reservoir, I provide myself with a brand new reservoir each time the oil can is filled Having thus set out the structure and benefits of my canned oil pump, I specifically describe my invention in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an oil pump having an oil supply tube; an oil reservoir having only one opening therein; means for securing said oil pump to said reservoir with the supply tube of said pump extending through the single opening of said reservoir; and an air pervious oil seal around said oil pump supply tube where it enters said reservoir; whereby said oil pump supply tube and said reservoir are sealed oil tight and said reservoir is vented by said air pervious oil seal.

2. In a new article of manufacture; a frame top; a pump secured to said frametop; an oil supply tube cornmunicating with said pump and extending through said frame top; a cutting head on the lower `end of said oil supply tube; an air pervious oil'seal around said oil supply tube and adjacent said frame top; said frame top being free of puncturing structure other than said cutting head; and means for securing an initially sealed can of oil, that has been punctured by said cutting head, in close prox imity to said frame top; whereby an initially sealed can of oil is secured in oil tight and vented relation to said frame top by said air pervious oil seal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 825,173 Ansley July 3, 1906 1,072,588 Duncan -4---- Sept. 9, 1913 2,086,467 Brayan July 6, 1937 2,091,737 `Longway Aug. 31, 1937 2,140,257 Butler Dec. 13, 1938 2,660,338 Dunn Nov. 24, 1953 

